


Maybe (I'm In Love)

by checkerbee



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Criminals, Alternate universe - Mafia, Cryptage if you squint, Drinking, Multi, Recreational Drug Use, Revhound if you squint, Tavi is in loooooove
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24018742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/checkerbee/pseuds/checkerbee
Summary: Ajay had always been there in his life in some way. They had grown up together because her parents were underground doctors and his were the king and queen of a criminal empire. They understood each other, had grown up in the same world and he wouldn't have it any other way.Except maybe now.(A short little Birthday fic for shes-fast-like-me on tumblr)
Relationships: Lifeline | Ajay Che/Octane | Octavio Silva
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Maybe (I'm In Love)

Octavio is in love. 

Although if you asked him when he first realized this fact, he couldn't tell you. Maybe it was the first time Ajay's mother brought her on a job. She had been just as tiny as he was, both of them sneaking peeks into the room where her mother was patching up one of his father's bodyguards. She hadn't looked squeamish at all the blood, tiny gaze intent on her mother's work until Mrs. Che closed the door in their faces. 

Or maybe it was after Navi had died and Ajay had let him ball his eyes out on her shoulder, sitting her chapter book aside and never telling him to suck it up like his father had. She had simply patted his back and told him that it was okay to show pain. At least that's what her mother told her.

Or maybe it was when he'd taken her to an amusement park because she had mentioned wanting to go. His bodyguards had tailed from a distance, watching for threats while Octavio attempted to drag her onto every ride in the park. She had joined him, laughter brighter than all the lights and arms wrapped around the pink teddy bear she had won after beating him at a carnival game. 

Or maybe it was when she gave him a black eye after he scared her during one of their movie nights, fear and anger warring on her face as he laughed and laughed. She had told him that he was a jerk but gotten an ice-pack for him regardless. And a few weeks later, she had scared him back, whole body shaking with laughter at the so-not-girly scream he'd let out.

Or maybe it was later, when he really started noticing just how pretty girls could be and she was always there, prettier than all the rest, amused by his attempts to woo her but never pushing him away because maybe she liked him back.

Maybe, maybe, maybe. 

Needless to say, Ajay had always been there in his life in some way. They had grown up together because her parents were underground doctors and his were the king and queen of a criminal empire. They understood each other, had grown up in the same world and he wouldn't have it any other way. 

Except maybe now, when the Che's arrive at one of his parents social functions and he spots her walking behind her parents with a confidence that makes his heart beat just that little bit faster. She's wearing a pale pink dress that's almost touching the floor, hair pinned up with a decorative silver comb with enough left free to frame her face. She looks absolutely breathtaking and out of place at the same time, the way she's holding herself letting him know that she's mentally checking her feet to make sure that she doesn't trip on her hemline. 

"You're staring." Bloth comments from their seat at the couch, amber eyes framed with red eyeliner to match the details of their suit. 

"Again." Revenant adds, looking bored as he watches the guests file in. 

Octavio sticks his tongue out at his bodyguards and receives an eye roll from the blue-eyed blonde in response. 

"You could always ask her to dance." Bloth offers, more helpful than their partner, who really could care less how Octavio feels half the time. 

"I will if Rev asks you." He bites back, blinking innocently at them both. "If not, get me a drink and let me pine in peace." 

Neither of them make a move to get up so Octavio does, knowing that they'll keep an eye on him because that's what they get paid for. He makes a beeline for the refreshment table and loads a plate with a bunch of food and hooks a bottle of champagne along with two glasses in his free hand. It's a balancing act, but he manages, carting his treats to where Ajay is sitting at a table with her parents. 

He waits until the older Che's are busy talking to a few other guests before ducking down with a grin. "I was going to offer a dance but you looked like you were about to fall over, so I brought food instead." 

"I don't know what you're talkin' about." She responds and he raises an eyebrow at her. "Okay fine, I hate this dress. Why couldn't I just wear pants? Or one of those fancy jumpsuits?" 

"Because you're supposed to look pretty." He says, then has to crush the urge to punch himself in the face. "Which you do. You always do, but right now… wow."

"Tavi?" 

"Yeah?" He asks hesitantly because she's staring at him like she's trying to solve a puzzle. 

"Feel like findin' me a change of clothes so we can get outta here?" 

He'd like nothing more, he thinks. Because he hates events like this save for the free food and liquor that's always present. Everything else? The stuffy suit and sparkling cleanliness of it all grates on his nerves more than he can ever express. 

Instead of saying so, he simply sets all the shit in his hands on the table and pulls her out of her seat, ignoring his parents' frowns as he practically drags her out of the room. Back at their own table, Rev lets out a disgusted noise and follows behind Bloth as they get up to follow. 

…

Ajay emerges from his room a while later with her hair back in its familiar buns. She'd taken the liberty of borrowing some of his clothes and while it's not her usual tank top and cargo pants, she looks good. The light shimmery makeup on her face contrasts starkly with the fishnet top under her t-shirt and the studded belt cinched tight to keep a pair of his ripped jeans up. 

"Why do ya own half of these clothes?" She asks, indicating her sleeves and Octavio shrugs. 

"Caught my eye." He says honestly as he leads the way to the garage. "They're good clubbing clothes." 

And they are. While he prefers to get fucked up in less public places, he's not exactly a stranger at Elliott's club or any of the other hotspots in the city. He needs some way to blow money and combat his boredom after all and what better way to do that than by getting lost in the chaos of other people shedding their inhibitions? 

She takes his answer for what it is and slips past Bloth and Rev, who keep enough distance to give them privacy. 

"So, are we taking the car or the bike tonight?" He asks and she hums to herself, considering. 

"The car." Rev answers for her and Octavio flips him off. 

"Don't forget that you're still supposed to be at your parents event." Bloth adds, forcing a sigh out of their young employer. 

"Fine, fine, but you guys are not riding in the back seat." 

"Couldn't imagine cramping your style." Their partner says, completely deadpan and Bloth chuckles, clearing their throat pointedly. 

"Why did my father hire you guys again?" Octavio retorts, but there's no bite behind it. 

"He didn't," Revenant points out, a smile ticking up the corners of his mouth. "You did because, and I quote, you guys don't seem lame." 

"And I was soooooo wrong." The heir laments as he snags his keys from the hook by the inner garage door. He clicks the fob and a bright green car chirps back, the doors rising so that he and Ajay can climb in. His bodyguards chose something less… vivid but still fast enough to keep up when Octavio speeds out of the driveway and onto the streets of his neighborhood. 

His parents house is clinging to the side of a cliff and the streets leading away from it are winding, full of sharp curves that he shouldn't take as fast as he does, but when he glances over, there's a delighted smile on Ajay's face as her seatbelt pulls at her chest. She loves the thrill of it just as much as he does, he knows. And he likes bringing out that wild smile of hers, the way her eyes light up when he gets just a little too reckless. 

So he doesn't ease their speed until he's about to turn into the traffic of the main streets, chancing glances at her whenever he can. He watches as she taps on the dash with her fingers, singing along to the alt-pop song on the radio. As they get closer to the city, the lights get more frequent, shining off of the widows with bright neon colors that fade in and out quickly.

It reminds him of the cartoons that they used to watch as kids, the sickly sweet vibrancy of it all. 

"Have ya thought about what ya want for your birthday?" She asks once the radio cuts to a commercial break. He almost misses the question, focusing back on reality long enough to register what she's saying. 

"Me? No, not really. Mama's gonna throw a party and I'll get introduced to a few of Dad's contacts, same as every year. Probably gonna dip out before it all gets boring." 

"We could throw our own party after, have some actual fun. I'll even ask Elliott if we can use the club." 

"Sounds like fun." 

…

"Absolutely not." Elliott says thirty minutes later when she asks, pointing a finger at Octavio. "And no glaring at me." 

"I wasn't-" 

"You were. Love you to death kid, but I'm not letting a bunch of kids run wild in my club for a night." 

"Like you don't already?" Tae Joon scoffs from his seat at the booth with them and Mirage shushes him. 

"That's business. This is a favor for a bunch of hooligans." 

Octavio grins at him, sharp and wild, before Ajay smacks his arm. "What if I promise to keep it under control?" She asks. "Besides, it'll just be a small get together for Tavi." 

Ajay was never the kind of girl to charm herself into something she wants, but she does it now, looking almost innocent even with her punk clothes and bright pink hair. Elliot groans in response, rubbing a hand over his face. 

"And you and Tae Joon will get the night off. I'll even clean up after." 

"He'll break, he's weak." Rev comments to Hound, voice low under the club's music. And he does, after a lengthy speech about how tragic it would be if they burnt his business to the ground. It makes it almost tempting to the criminal heir, but he promises not to, because the Witts have always been loyal to his family and he wasn't about to rock the boat now. 

Instead, he gets up and pulls his suit jacket off, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt before offering his hand to his best friend. "Care to dance, chica?" 

She takes it quickly, pulling him into the mesh of bodies on the dance floor and he lets her. The music around them is loud, thrumming through the air and into his bones and it makes him almost giddy. Especially when she turns her back to him and lets him put a hand on her waist, swaying to the beat in an almost off-tempo way. Sometimes he thinks there's an undertone to every song that only she can hear and while if he ever tried to explain it, it would sound strange, the way she dances feels raw. Like she's dancing to a meaning beyond his understanding. 

Then again, she'd always been more into music than him and it shows. She sets her own beat and drags him along, back pressed to his chest in an intimate way that makes his heart stutter in his chest. 

After a few songs, a woman comes by with a tray of drinks and he grabs two, passing one to Ajay in the lull created by the music. She knocks it back, grimacing at the sharp taste, before setting the shot glass back on the tray to be taken away. He does the same, quick to grab one of the bright pills that's being offered as well. Placing it on his tongue, he lets it dissolve as a new song starts and goes back to dancing.

By the time they return to the booth, he's pleasantly buzzed. The music in the air hits a little harder, the sounds more sharp and vibrant as Ajay leans against him. They're both out of breath, Bloth sliding two glasses of water over to them silently. They had been with Octavio longer than Revenant and knew how he operated. While they could never be described as doting, there was a care there, a respect even if he was a reckless fool more often than not. 

"Thanks." Octavio says, gulping down half of the glass gratefully and Bloth nods before sitting up a little straighter as a trance like song begins to play over the speakers. He watches, fixated as the bodyguard seems to war with themselves and eventually takes pity. "Go dance." He looks at Rev. "And take edge lord with you."

Rev shoots him a withering look but follows after his partner nonetheless as their bright red hair fades into the crowd of bodies on the dancefloor. 

"They're cute together." Ajay hums, nodding her head after them. 

"Rev's an asshole though." He says and her laugh is a sweet sound, cutting under the music into his ear. 

"Not to them though." 

He can see it, he thinks, but he'd also rather focus on Ajay as she leans against him in the booth. Her fingers are tapping against his thigh absentmindedly in a way that makes his heart race and suddenly it's way too hot. He drinks more water, offers her some but she flags down a server instead and grabs a couple more shots. She throws hers back, hums when it's better than she expected and then she's pressing a kiss to his cheek. 

"Happy early birthday, Tavi."   
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> So sorry this wasn't longer! Writer's block is hitting me hard :( 
> 
> Happy Birthday though lol


End file.
